There have been known automated analyzers that perform quantitative measurement of specific substances contained in samples that are biological samples such as blood and urine. Disposable cuvettes (disposable reaction containers) that contain samples and reagents are used in the automated analyzers. Such automated analyzers include, for example, a reaction unit in which the cuvettes are arranged, a dispenser that dispenses the sample and the reagent into the cuvettes arranged in the reaction unit, and a container supply unit that supplies empty cuvettes to the reaction unit.
PTL 1 describes a technique relating to a sample analyzer that includes storage parts in which containers (cuvettes) for preparing a sample are stored. The sample analyzer described in PTL 1 includes a first storage part to which the cuvettes are introduced and a cuvette ejection part that ejects the cuvettes from the first storage part. This sample analyzer further includes a second storage part in which the cuvettes ejected by the cuvette ejection part are stored and a cuvettes taking part that takes out the cuvettes one cuvette after another from the second storage part.
The cuvette ejection part includes a circular belt that includes a plurality of holding plates, a chain to which the circular belt is attached, a sprocket with which the chain is engaged, a drive motor that drives the sprocket, and a housing cover that houses the circular belt.